RACING PREPARES TO SAY GOODBYE TO FRANKEL: THE HORSE WHO BROUGHT BACK POSITIVE PRESS

Bittersweet news circulated around the UK this weekend about the announcement of Frankel's last ever career run which will take place at Ascot in October.

As many of you know from various articles I have written in the past, I am a fan of Frankel and watching the colt race has encouraged me to learn more about flat racing as well as the broadcasting that goes into it. 

The unbeaten race horse will compete in the 10-furlong Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 20. Despite enthusiastic suggestions from outside Frankel's yard, the thought of racing in the Prix de L'Arc Triomphe at Longchamp was turned down in favour for Ascot.

I think it is great that Sir Henry Cecil has decided that his unbeaten superstar should stay in this country and bypass Longchamp for his final farewell on the track. It gives a sense of British spirit and greatly promotes UK racing.

The increase in ticket sales on the Flat just shows how marvellous this horse truly is. After dreadful press NH horse racing received due to the deaths of Synchronised and According to Pete in the 2012 Grand National, Frankel, with the help of Black Caviar, has promoted the sport to a new high. 

Frankel's thirteenth unbeaten win in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York was a sight to see: once this colt is off our screens at the end of the year the sport won't quite be the same.

It is a shame that Cecil decided not to enter his superstar in the Arc as I reckon that race would have been the incredible for his career. Frankel would have no doubt battled for his life on the track but Ascot is still a wonderful place to display his racing ability. 

Ascot racecourse will no doubt promote Frankel's last show immensely well. With the usual attendance of around 30,000 I would not be surprised to see an even bigger turnout for the Champion Stakes.

Victory from Frankel would set a European record of nine consecutive wins at Group One level and bookmakers will offer no bigger than 1-10 odds for another Frankel first. 

I hope that a statue of the wonder-horse will be created at Ascot to remember the horse who made global headlines and put the spirit back into British racing. 

JOHN GOSDEN BUZZING AFTER NATHANIEL'S POTENTIAL BACK-TO-BACK VICTORY AT ASCOT

Focus has turned to John Gosden this week following his announcement of Nathaniel's go-ahead for back-to-back victories in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. 


After Nathaniel's successful first appearance of the season in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, the team behind the horse have had the urge to compete him in both top races.


Gosden's colt won the King George last year, beating Farhh by half-a-length. However, he had to dig-deep for the win.


A lot of talk has surrounded Farhh recently as he is to race against Frankel in the Eclipse Stakes: he is seen as a classy horse that may have the most ability to beat the superstar. (But will that ever happen?!)


Connections of Nathaniel have admitted that the horse faces a tough task to emulate Dahlia and Swain as the only third dual winner of the King George. 


Despite the challenge ahead, all signs are reportedly to be good ahead of the mile-and-a-half Group One race. 


A sign of a winner is to see the levels of enthusiasm from the team. Gosden seems hyped at the chance of winning a back-to-back with Nathaniel and you cannot leave that unnoticed. No other person knows the well-being of a horse than their trainer. If he is excited about the colt, then I will take note.


Farhh is also to be supplemented for the Qipco Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. He won the Thirsk Hunt Cup earlier in the season and his form looks ideal for him to be favourite in other Group One races.


However, seeing as Godolphin has decided to race him against Frankel, the horse's ability cannot be questioned. 


Quick Quiz:


In what years did Dahlia and Swain become dual winners of the King George? 






Also published at: @valuehorsetips - Follow me every Thursday on their blog for 'Thursday Thoughts from Abby Rugg'.

BLACK CAVIAR TREATED AS ROYALTY AHEAD OF ASCOT

Black Caviar is in good health after her marathon journey to England.

The mare travelled for 30 hours from her stable in Australia to the UK and has dropped nine kilos from her weight of 580kg.

She is to run in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in just thirteen days and pundits have already turned to bookmakers for her latest odds.

It’s as if royalty has landed in the country: the mare has been unbeaten in 21 starts and the world of horseracing has been rocked by her red carpet arrival.

Who can argue that horseracing is a dying and cruel sport now? I have never seen a horse’s journey to this country fill newspapers and websites in an instant.

It delights me in watching the preparations for the horse: time, patience and hard work is visible and the trainer, owners, pundits and journalists are treating her with the respect that she deserves.

Trainer Peter Moody has said that he is a “bit nervous about it all” and I don’t blame him! A lot of money is being ridden on Black Caviar’s back but not only that, the effort towards maintaining the mare’s profile has been huge.

Black Caviar’s journey just proves how much of an athlete a horse can be in comparison with a human.

No other Australian horse has been a big star since the 1930’s Melbourne Cup winner Phar Lap.

But can Black Caviar win in just under two weeks' time and claim her 22^nd victory? Yes, I think so. 

BIG BUCKS EN ROUTE TO BECOMING A LEGEND AFTER 14TH CONSECUTIVE WIN

BIG BUCKS is now on the road to being a legendary horse in the racing world after winning his 14th successive victory on Saturday (17th).

The horse, trained by Paul Nicholls, has a special talent that was easily visible in the Lough Derg Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot, and it is fair to say that he is now en route to becoming one of the greatest horses in the sport.

If Nicholls had not steered the horse back to hurdles, Big Bucks' story would have been very different.

Stablemates Kauto Star and Denman add to Nicholls' success as both horses are also champions within the sport. Even though Denman retired earlier this month due to injury, 'The Tank' is remains high up with the greatest.

The reappearance of Big Buck's in the public eye will increase his interest in the Festival early next year, where he will try and make a 15th consecutive win. 

Ruby Walsh summed up Big Bucks' potential by claiming the horse could win an Ascot Gold Cup.

This horse is definitely one to put your money on.

LOUGH DERG RETIRES FROM RACING

POPULAR hurdler Lough Derg ran his last race on Saturday (Dec 3rd) at Ascot.


Trainer David Pipe retired the 11-year-old following an encouraging comeback race at Exeter but his outing at Ascot told punters that it was time to leave the racing world behind. 


Lough Derg's career has spanned eight years, 61 races and 12 victories. 


It has now been revealed that the Grade One staying hurdle at Ascot a week Saturday will be known as the 'Lough Derg Long Walk Hurdle'.


Pipe writes on his website: "The tough as teak eleven year old, drew the admiration of countless National Hunt racing fans with his heart on his sleeve, never say die style of front running which yielded him success at Grade One level and earned connections almost £375,000 in prize money."


"There are too many highlights from his distinguished career to elaborate on here, however he would go on to finish runner-up in the 2006 Grade One Long Walk hurdle at his beloved Ascot  before going one place better the following year with a typically gallant front-running performance to defeat dual Champion Hurdler Hardy Eustace."

"It is perhaps his association with jockey Tom Scudamore for which he is best known, his performance prompting his partner to burst into tears after winning the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell for a second successive year in 2009.  It is this kind of emotion that has endeared Lough Derg to the public and I am sure that his legion of followers will be thrilled to hear that he ends his career sound, happy and in rude health, bucking and squealing."

Lough Derg Stats:  8 jockeys, 12 wins, 18 places, 61 races, 169 miles raced, £374, 512 prize money

http://www.davidpipe.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=6&Itemid=1

A link to David Pipe's website